The Australian Federal Police Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) has experienced a predicted surge in the online financial sextortion trend targeting young Australians over the school holiday period.
Sexual extortion – sometimes called ‘sextortion’ – is a form of blackmail where someone tricks or coerces you into sending sexual images of yourself and then threatens to share intimate pictures/vidoes of you online unless you give in to their demands.
These demands are typically for money, more intimate images or sexual favours. Blackmailers often target people through dating apps, social media, and webcams.
The spike in reports comes as children return to the classroom for the 2023 school year, with a nearly 60 per cent rise in reports in December 2022 alone. Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety.
If you want to learn more before having what can be viewed as an uncomfortable conversation, a great Podcast produced by the Triple J Hack investigative team is “Sextortion and how scammers are targeting young people”.
The latest statistics from the ACCCE show overseas offenders primarily target teenage boys, with more than 90 per cent of victim reports to police coming from young males.
The school holiday surge was predicted due to global police intelligence and saw the AFP and ACCCE issue an urgent message in early December to secondary and high schools in Australia as an awareness and prevention initiative. Despite the sharp rise in reports, police suspect the offending is, unfortunately, far more significant than what is reported. With school returning, police urge teenagers to talk openly with their friends, parents, carers and educators.
We are seeing offshore criminal syndicates targeting a victim’s entire friend list – acting Assistant Commissioner Hilda Sirec
“This type of financial sextortion involves victims being coerced into sending sexualised images or videos of themselves by online offenders, usually with the offender pretending to be another young person. The offender then threatens to on-share the content to others unless the victim pays.
“When this happens to someone under the age of 18, it is online child sexual exploitation, and I want to reassure victims of this crime that they will not be in trouble with the police for coming forward and reporting,” acting Assistant Commissioner Sirec said.
Australian Federal Police Make an Impact
As part of an ongoing effort to combat online financial sextortion, the AFP, working together with AUSTRAC, has shut down more than 1,000 Australian bank, financial services and digital currency accounts linked to offshore organised syndicates sexually exploiting Australian teenagers between June and December 2022.
This crime can cause significant fear and trauma to victims and has been associated with instances of self-harm. It is normal for young victims to want to hide what has happened and not talk about it with parents or carers or report it to the police.
“Some victims are unwilling to report the abuse and even deny that anything has happened if identified and contacted by police because they may feel a sense of shame or embarrassment,” acting Assistant Commissioner Sirec said.
“If your child is or has been a victim, please reassure them that it’s not their fault and that there is help available through the ACCCE and our partners.”
Conversations with children and young people about the risks online need to be open and honest, and victims need to be made to feel supported and understood – Assistant Commissioner Sirec
The ACCCE continues to encourage school communities to share this vital message, including seeking opportunities to display posters and other materials on school campuses and online. A range of resources is available on the ACCCE website.
Through its ThinkUKnow education program, the AFP has also developed an online blackmail and sexual extortion response kit that includes key indicators that an online interaction may signify financial sextortion and how to get help and support.
TIPS FOR A VICTIM OF FINANCIAL SEXTORTION
- Stop the conversation
- Collect evidence – screenshots
- Block the account – the most critical preventative action
- Seek help from the police or the ACCCE
- Seek support; you are not alone, and it is not your fault
TIPS FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS
- Ensure your child is safe
- Be approachable, avoid reacting with anger or blame
- Collect evidence of the offending -screenshots
- Seek help from the police or the ACCCE
- Engage in well-being and support services
